# Balkan war crime anniversaries

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/balkan-war-crime-anniversaries
> Updated: 2026-08-28T04:30:00.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 2.

Commemorations are being held across the Balkans to mark anniversaries of wartime atrocities and massacres from the conflicts in the 1990s.

In Raštani, Bosnia and Herzegovina, observers are marking 33 years since HVO attacks that killed nine civilians, including three children. Simultaneously, in Croatia, the 31st anniversary of the Grubori massacre is being observed. During that 1995 incident, members of the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit killed six Serbian civilians and burned 21 houses; notably, eight members of the Croatian military and police were acquitted of charges due to a lack of evidence.

In Sarajevo, the 31st anniversary of the Markale market mortar attack is being observed. On August 28, 1995, 120mm mortar shells fired from the direction of Trebević killed 43 civilians and wounded approximately 84 others. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia attributed the attack to the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS). The massacre served as a critical turning point that prompted NATO air strikes against VRS positions and accelerated the path toward the Dayton Peace Agreement.

During commemorations, Bosnian Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović and Sarajevo Mayor Samir Avdić emphasized the importance of “remembering the truth to build a secure future.” Medical professionals who served during the siege also recalled the scale of human devastation. While Sarajevo honors the victims, celebrations and prayers have been held in Republika Srpska to honor the late Ratko Mladić, a convicted war criminal.

## Claims

- The attack was carried out by the Army of Republika Srpska (corroborated by 10 sources)
- 43 citizens of Sarajevo were killed in the attack. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- Between 84 and 90 people were wounded in the attack. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- The attack took place near the Markale market in Sarajevo. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- The massacre occurred on August 28, 1995, at 11:00 AM. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- The mortar shells were fired from the direction of Trebević. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- This was the second massacre at the Markale market. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- A previous massacre at Markale on February 5, 1994, killed 68 people. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-28: Markale marketplace massacre: Sarajevo honors victims 31 years later

Sarajevo marked the 31st anniversary of the 1995 Markale marketplace massacre, where 43 people were killed by mortar fire attributed to the Army of Republika Srpska.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/markale-market-massacre-43-killed-in-sarajevo-mortar-attack

### 2026-08-24: Balkan war crime anniversaries marked in Raštani and Grubori

Anniversaries are marked for wartime atrocities in Raštani, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Grubori massacre in Croatia, where civilian victims were killed during the conflicts in the 1990s.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/balkan-war-crime-anniversaries-marked-in-ratani-and-grubori

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Cite as: Balkan war crime anniversaries. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/balkan-war-crime-anniversaries